THE COLLISION OF THE GERMAN IRONCLADS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1386, 25 July 1878, Page 3

THE COLLISION OF THE GERMAN IRONCLADS.

The correspondent of the Melbourne "Argua" furnishes the following graphic account of the above disaster : The collision occurred under circumstances not yet fully explained, for the official inquiry iB to be made in Germany. But Admiral Batsch, who was on board the Konig Wilhelm, reported to the Emperor that an order of the officer of the watch being misunderstood by the man at the helm, the Konig Wilhelm, after making way for a foreign vessel, turned to the larboard instead of starboard, and so struck the Grosser Kurfurst. The accident, even on his explanation, was due to the too great proximity of the ships. From other sources the narrative has been completed for us. It appears that the German columns are at all times considerably less than half the distance apart that is thought expedient for British ships, and in many instances are even much nearer. The Grosser Kurfurst was thus allowed to be within two ships' lengths of the Konig Wilhelm, but in reality she was closer, and probably not more than one length intervened. In this formation, according to the completcst account that has been published, the squadron came across two Bailing vessels hauled to the wind on the port tack, and consequently standing acroßs the bows of both divisions. " The Grosser Kurfurst had first to give way, which she did at the proper time, and strictly in accordance with the rule of the road, porting her helm and passing under the stern of the first of these two sailing ships. But the Konig Wilhelm, which was close to the Grosser Kurfurst at this time, and steering a course parallel to her, endeavoured at first to cross the bows of the sailing vessel, but finding she had no room for this manoeuvre, rapidly changed her plan, and putting her helm hard a-port, also stood under the stern of the sailing vessel. In the meanwhile the Grosser Kurfurßt had resumed her original course, and was thus lying right across the bows of the Konig Wilhelm as she came under the stern of the sailing barque almost at right angles to the original course. At this critical moment it became a matter of absolute impossibility for either the one or other to sheer out of the way. The captain of the Grosser Kurfurst, Graf von Montz, seeing the terrible proximity of the Konig Wilhelm, immediately put his vessel at full speed, hoping to cross her bows, but the space would not allow it. He then gave the order to port his helm, hoping to lay his ship parallel to the course of the Konig Wilhelm, but unfortunately for this also there was neither time nor space. The Konig Wilhelm struck the Grosser Kurfurst amidships. The impact of a vessel weighing 9000 tons, and going at the rate of nine or ten knots, may be conceived, but it is stated that the shock was so little felt on board the Konig Wilhelm that scarcely a wineglass was upset or broken. A crushing and tearing sound, however, filled the air as the stem of the Konig Wilhelm sheered away everything from the point, where she struck to the stern, ripping off the armour plating like the skin of an orange. The blow came at an angle vaguely described as somewhere between a right angle and an angle of 45, and caught the Grosser Kurfurst between the main and mizen masts. The Grosser Kurfurst, from the great speed she had attained by going full speed, was barely checked in her course by the collision, but grated past the stem of the Konig Wilhelm, leaving a vast gap in her side. The bowsprit of the Konig Wilhelm fouled her rigging, and brought down the mizentop-gailant mast on the quarter deck ; the quarter boats were swept awuy like strips of paper, and the doomed ship first staggered over on the opposite side from the force of the blow, then reeled back, when the sea rushed into the great hole in her side. But below water all must also have been destroyed, for the ram of the Konig Wilhelm gives deadly indication by the injuries it has received of the work it did. underneath."

The captain of the Grosser Kurfurst was at his post on the bridge as his ship went down, out was picked up by a boat and reanimated by restoratives. His first intention, as his ship made a circle inshore, was to have beached her immediately, but this was impossible, for in six or ten minutes she went down. The boats were smashed, and there was little time for utilising any means of esoape. Amongst the crew, however, were many strong swimmers. Some were hauled on board the Konig Wilhelm ; others were picked up by the boats of the Preuesen ; 85 men were rescued by the Folkestone fishing boats, but a large number perished—in all, as many as 281 persons. The complement of the ship was 497, of whom 216 were picked up ; but three have since died from exhaustion, the number of saved is 213,. Tho Konig Wilhelm was herself greatly injured, but by constant use of the pumpo she was kept afloat, and brought round to Spithead. Apart from the terrible tragedy of the event, it has excited the greatest interest from its bearing upon the future of our own untried ironclad licet. Some forebodings have found general expression, and certain it is that the possi' bilities suggested are not pleasant to contemplate.